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Aug
25

Former Network Rail exec to head Metrolinx

Metrolinx has named Phil Verster to be its new president and CEO, effective Oct. 1.

Verster's history includes a dozen years overseeing operations and major construction at rail providers in England, Scotland and Ireland. Most recently, he served as managing director of Britain's Network Rail where he ran the ScotRail Alliance and oversaw the delivery of a major electrification of the Scottish railroad.

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Aug
24

Rail supplier news from Wi-Tronix, KLW, HAZON, Alstom and RATP (Aug. 24)

Wi-Tronix LLC has equipped Iowa Interstate Railroad Ltd.'s (IAIS) locomotive fleet with the  Violet™ streaming event recorder and video analytics system. The technology enables the railroad to connect its assets to a digital network, Wi-Tronix officials said in a press release. IAIS has used Violet's artificial intelligence-based video analytics to complete video surveys of its mileposts. Violet aggregates petabytes of video data in an Internet of Things approach to create actionable information. The platform consists of an event recorder, digital video recorder, locomotive data acquisition recording system and crash-hardened memory module.

Knoxville Locomotive Works (KLW) has been awarded the Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 emissions certification for its SE Series four- and six-axle locomotive designs. The company is the only freight locomotive manufacturer to have achieved Tier 4 certifications for switch and line haul duty cycles, KLW officials said in a press release. The certifications include the switch duty cycle for KLW models rated at 2,000, 2,200 and 2,300 brake horsepower (bhp), as well as the line-haul duty cycle for models rated at 2,400 through 3,200 bhp. The company's locomotives are designed to deliver improved fuel savings and tractive effort compared to their conventional locomotive counterparts, said KLW Chairman Pete Claussen.

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Aug
24

SEPTA rolls out Wi-Fi, digital services at commuter-rail hub

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 8/24/2017 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The agency partnered with Intersection to provide the new amenities.Photo – SEPTA

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has added Wi-Fi and other digital services to its Suburban Station commuter-rail hub in Philadelphia.

In addition to high-speed Wi-Fi, the station now offers 10 interactive kiosks that provide real-time transit information, wayfinding and maps. SEPTA also plans to install two device charging stations at the station, agency officials said in a press release.

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Aug
24

DART appoints new board members

Rail News Home Railroading People 8/24/2017 Rail News: Railroading People
Clockwise: Ray Jackson, Jon-Bertrell Killen, Dominique Torres and Catherine CuellarPhoto – Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has added four new members to its board.

The new board members are:
• Ray Jackson, who serves as managing partner of the Jackson Law Firm;
• Jon-Bertrell Killen, a solution architect at Slalom Consulting;
• Dominique Torres, who operates the Torres Law Office where she handles personal injury, immigration and family law cases; and
• Catherine Cuellar, director of partnerships for RefillWise, a free pharmacy discount and rewards program.

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Aug
24

U.S. intermodal traffic jumps 8.2 percent in Week 33

U.S. intermodal rail traffic rose 8.2 percent and carloads held steady at an 0.8 percent increase for the week ending Aug. 19 compared with a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

For the week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 554,021 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.4 percent compared with the same week last year, AAR officials said in a press release.

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Aug
24

Amtrak wrapping up Penn Station's summer repair project

Rail News Home Amtrak 8/24/2017 Rail News: Amtrak
Amtrak crews have poured 1,100 ft. of concrete during the infrastructure renewal program at New York Penn Station.Photo – Amtrak

New York City's Penn Station will resume regular train schedules on Sept. 5, Amtrak announced today.

The national intercity passenger railroad's two-month infrastructure renewal program at the station is wrapping up. Amtrak engineering crews have completed nearly seven of the eight weeks of work, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

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Aug
24

TriMet adds mobile fare-payment options

Rail News Home Rail Industry Trends 8/24/2017 Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
The agency's new electronic fare payment system was launched last month.Photo – TriMet

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon's (TriMet) new Hop Fastpass™ electronic fare system now accepts smartphone payments, the agency announced Tuesday.

Riders can use a smartphone and a mobile wallet app with a linked credit or debit card to purchase fares on TriMet's rail and bus services, as well as on the Portland Streetcar.

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Aug
24

Amtrak’s NY Penn Station renewal work on schedule

The so called "Summer of Hell" will end for New York area commuters on Sept. 4 as the Amtrak Infrastructure Renewal program at New York Penn Station remains on schedule with regular operations returning on Sept. 5.

 

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Aug
24

Amtrak’s NY Penn Station renewal work on schedule

The so called "Summer of Hell" will end for New York area commuters on Sept. 4 as the Amtrak Infrastructure Renewal program at New York Penn Station remains on schedule with regular operations returning on Sept. 5.

 

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Aug
24

Amtrak’s NY Penn Station renewal work on schedule

The so called "Summer of Hell" will end for New York area commuters on Sept. 4 as the Amtrak Infrastructure Renewal program at New York Penn Station remains on schedule with regular operations returning on Sept. 5.

 

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Aug
24

North Carolina Railroad to invest in new factory's rail spur

North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) is among local business partners investing in a manufacturing facility that will be built in Asheboro, North Carolina.

Fibertex Personal Care, a Danish textile company, will open its first U.S. manufacturing plant at an established industrial site in Asheboro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced earlier this month.

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Aug
24

NCRR invests in infrastructure to bring business to NC

The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) is utilizing its NCRR Invests initiative to help build a spur track that will connect a new business locating to North Carolina.

NCRR is one of several partners that worked to bring Fibertex Personal Care, a Danish manufacturer and printer of nonwoven hygiene products, to Randolph County, N.C. Fibertex Personal Care will invest $60 million in North Carolina and create 145 jobs by constructing a manufacturing facility at an established industrial site on Pineview Road in Asheboro. NCRR is investing approximately $420,000 to assist with the construction of a new spur track to connect Fibertex to an adjacent Norfolk Southern line, which joins the North Carolina Railroad in High Point.

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Aug
24

NCRR invests in infrastructure to bring business to NC

The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) is utilizing its NCRR Invests initiative to help build a spur track that will connect a new business locating to North Carolina.

NCRR is one of several partners that worked to bring Fibertex Personal Care, a Danish manufacturer and printer of nonwoven hygiene products, to Randolph County, N.C. Fibertex Personal Care will invest $60 million in North Carolina and create 145 jobs by constructing a manufacturing facility at an established industrial site on Pineview Road in Asheboro. NCRR is investing approximately $420,000 to assist with the construction of a new spur track to connect Fibertex to an adjacent Norfolk Southern line, which joins the North Carolina Railroad in High Point.

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Aug
24

NCRR invests in infrastructure to bring business to NC

The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) is utilizing its NCRR Invests initiative to help build a spur track that will connect a new business locating to North Carolina.

NCRR is one of several partners that worked to bring Fibertex Personal Care, a Danish manufacturer and printer of nonwoven hygiene products, to Randolph County, N.C. Fibertex Personal Care will invest $60 million in North Carolina and create 145 jobs by constructing a manufacturing facility at an established industrial site on Pineview Road in Asheboro. NCRR is investing approximately $420,000 to assist with the construction of a new spur track to connect Fibertex to an adjacent Norfolk Southern line, which joins the North Carolina Railroad in High Point.

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Aug
24

Short Line Safety Institute awarded hazmat training grant

Rail News Home Safety 8/24/2017 Rail News: Safety
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has awarded $4 million in grants for instructor training, including $500,000 to the Short Line Safety Institute, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced yesterday.The grants fall under the federal Hazardous Materials Instructor Training (HMIT) and Supplemental Public Sector Training (SPST) programs for fiscal-year 2017, according to a U.S. Department of Transportation press release.HMIT grants fund the training of instructors who then train private-sector hazardous materials employees. SPST grants fund national nonprofit fire service organizations to train instructors to conduct hazardous materials response training for local responders. "These grants are force multipliers in helping communities get more local first responders and employees prepared for transportation incidents involving hazardous materials," said Chao.The Short Line Safety Institute received an HMIT grant. "Well-trained first responders play a critical role in any hazardous materials incident, and this grant funding supports their efforts to protect their communities," said PHMSA Acting Administrator Drue Pearce.

Contact Progressive Railroading editorial staff.

More News from 8/24/2017


Aug
24

IO, Metrolinx issue RFQ for Lakeshore East expansion

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for interested parties to build and finance the Lakeshore East - Central Corridor Expansion project.

The infrastructure upgrades are required to accommodate the planned expansion of GO Transit rail service on the Lakeshore East line. The scope of work includes two grade separations; track and grading work and all supporting infrastructure, including retaining walls.

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Aug
24

IO, Metrolinx issue RFQ for Lakeshore East expansion

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for interested parties to build and finance the Lakeshore East - Central Corridor Expansion project.

The infrastructure upgrades are required to accommodate the planned expansion of GO Transit rail service on the Lakeshore East line. The scope of work includes two grade separations; track and grading work and all supporting infrastructure, including retaining walls.

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Aug
24

IO, Metrolinx issue RFQ for Lakeshore East expansion

Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for interested parties to build and finance the Lakeshore East - Central Corridor Expansion project.

The infrastructure upgrades are required to accommodate the planned expansion of GO Transit rail service on the Lakeshore East line. The scope of work includes two grade separations; track and grading work and all supporting infrastructure, including retaining walls.

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Aug
24

PHMSA awards Short Line Safety Institute grant

The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for hazardous material training.

 

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Aug
24

PHMSA awards Short Line Safety Institute grant

The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for hazardous material training.

 

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